TOP 16 best memory cards for phones for 2022

There is never too much memory in a phone; rather, there is never enough memory. The situation is solved with the help of memory cards (microSD), widely available in hardware stores and on Internet portals. To avoid making a mistake with your choice, use our expert rating of the best memory cards for phones for 2022.

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Types of memory cards

Types of cards
Memory cards for phones are available primarily in three formats:

1. SD cards are a classic option with a standard size of 24 by 32 mm.
2. MicroSD is no less common option than the previous one, measuring 11x15 mm.
3. CompactFlash is an outdated version of 42x36 mm.

Important! The latter format is not used practically anywhere except photography. Many experienced photographers prefer CompactFlash, considering it the most reliable and proven of all.

Some companies work only with their own media formats. For example, Sony supports its own development - Memory Stick. It is only compatible with branded devices. The storage will not work on other gadgets.

What is the difference between micro SDHC and SDXC

The difference between SDHC and SDXC
Some of the most common formats among users are:

• microSDHC;
• SDXC.

But not all buyers understand how they differ from each other and which one to buy for their gadget.

Technologies are developing rapidly and the once very popular microSD has been replaced by the new micro SDHC format. The dimensions of the drive remained unchanged, but the characteristics have improved significantly:

• memory expansion up to 32 GB;
• high read and write speed (50-150 MB/s).

It’s convenient that flash drives and card readers have good backward compatibility. But the microSD reader will not be able to recognize the micro SDHC.

Another new format is microSDXC drives. They are also no different from previous options in terms of dimensions. But they are more advanced in technical properties:

• exFAT file system;
• memory capacity up to 2 TB;
• read speed 50-312 MB/s.

Interestingly, readers designed for this format successfully recognize previous versions.

To summarize, we can conclude that microSDXC is a more advanced storage option with exFAT formatting. And it should be considered by those who need a large volume and quick reading of various types of information.

Voting for the best flash drive for transferring data from phone to computer

Which flash drive would you choose or recommend for transferring data from your phone to a computer?

USB Flash Drive Supersonic XBD 256 GB

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Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3.0 G2

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USB Flash Drive HP X5000M 256 GB

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OTG ADATA DashDrive UC330 Silver/Black 32GB (AUC330-32G-RBK)

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OTG USB Flash SanDisk ULTRA DUAL SDDDC2-064G-G46 64 GB

25.00 % ( 1 )

OTG USB Flash Silicon Power Mobile C50 64 GB

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SmartBuy Trio 3-in-1 OTG, 128Gb

0.00 % ( 0 )

Sony USB On-The-Go

25.00 % ( 1 )

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0

50.00 % ( 2 )

Which brand of flash drive is better?

A flash drive for a phone is a product that every hardware manufacturer produces. But you need to focus only on the best brands that have proven themselves among customers.

Samsung

Samsung brand
Over the past few years, this brand has been losing its position, giving way to leadership by young companies with active marketing. But in the segment of high-speed drives it has no equal.

The brand produces gadgets that contain memory cards that are unique in their characteristics. Their speed parameters are ahead of all the developments of other companies. But the cost of flash drives is much higher than the average level, which makes them inaccessible to the general mass of buyers.

Kingston

American brand Kingston
The American brand emerged relatively recently - in the late 80s of the last century. He was engaged in the production of SIMM memory blocks and gradually switched to the production of storage devices - permanent and temporary.

They are distinguished by high quality and compliance with speed standards. Moreover, the number of new products increases every year.

Sony

Well-known brand Sony
A well-known and popular brand that has been among the leaders for many years. The company's developers actively use innovative technologies, so the demand for them is constant. Memory storage is of good quality and is compatible with a wide range of technical devices. But their cost significantly exceeds the average level, which significantly narrows the circle of consumers.

SanDisk

American manufacturer SanDisk
The American manufacturer produces flash media with a long service life. Its assortment includes several lines of flash drives, including formats that are used extremely rarely.

Transcend

Chinese company Transcend
The Chinese company has been on the market since the late 80s of the last century. Initially, it produced different types of technical equipment, but in recent years it has focused on two positions:

• carriers;
• card readers.

Flash drives stand out for their good quality, high speed of reading information and affordable cost.

Method one. Adapter

The microUSB port located on the smartphone body allows you to transfer information without using complex and insufficiently reliable adapters. All the tips given in the article on how to connect a flash drive to your phone will be associated with this connector. It provides a fairly high-speed connection to an external drive, does not slow down the device, and allows you to communicate on the phone or play games while copying information. In addition, the port serves to recharge the battery and communicate via a USB cable with a computer.

The easiest way to connect is using an OTG adapter, which has two sides:

• To turn on the flash drive.
• For connection to a smartphone.

In this case, connecting a USB flash drive to a tablet or phone is extremely simple. You plug in the flash memory into the USB connector, and connect the microUSB contact to the gadget. The connected device should be recognized automatically and you will be able to use it in a few moments.

How to choose a memory card for your phone: important criteria

How to choose the most reliable memory card
Everyone chooses a medium for their own purposes, but in any case it is important to consider the basic parameters listed below.

Manufacturer

A brand in this segment is not just a name, but a guarantee of quality. Well-known companies supply the market with memory cards that do not break the first time they are used. And if a defect is discovered, the product will be replaced under warranty.

Budget firms do not provide such conditions. Therefore, savings can result in the loss of important information and the need to urgently look for a new medium. As a result, costs will increase significantly.

Important! If you don't want to pay the highest price for media, choose it from the middle price category. Such devices usually have all the advantages of expensive models, but are sold at a lower cost.

Format

Here you need to rely on the technical device for which the memory card is purchased. The most common formats are:

• SD;
• microSD

They are used primarily in video and photographic equipment. They are convenient to change, although the size often causes some inconvenience.

MicroSD cards are selected for smartphones. They are perfectly compatible with regular SD, but only if you have an adapter. Those looking for a card for a tablet should also consider microSD.

Important! There are also non-standard options on sale. They are designed for certain types of devices and have no analogues. Therefore, be careful when going to the store to buy a flash drive.

Class

The classes reflect the speed at which information from the media will be reproduced. The class designation is equivalent to the speed in Mb/s. For example, class 2 is recording data at a speed of 2 Mb/s, class 3 is 3 Mb/s.

Modern devices have faster speeds. Therefore, an updated class standard has emerged - UHS:

• 1 – 10 Mb/s;
• 2 – 2 Mb/s;
• 3 – 3 Mb/s and so on.

Often both options are indicated on the packaging.

Volume

This is one of the most important and at the same time subjective parameters. Many people purchase memory cards in order to permanently store a large amount of data on them. Others transfer information to a flash drive from time to time and do not use it to store files on a regular basis.

When choosing an SD format option, focus on the following indicators:

• standard SD holds only up to 2 GB;
• SDHC – memory card up to 32 GB for tablets and phones;
• SDXC – saving up to 2 TB of information.

Data writing and reading speed

This criterion reflects how quickly information:

• sign up;
• will be played from the flash drive.

These indicators are most important for video cameras and cameras, but smartphone owners also pay attention to them.

Important! The higher the speed, the more expensive the media. Therefore, proceed purely from your own needs and do not take an expensive option if there is no direct need for it.

Choosing a flash drive for a smartphone

The user cannot always get what he dreams of. When buying a memory card for your gadget, you need to take into account its technical features:

• Supports flash cards of a certain size. Most devices have a limit on the amount of memory they can use. These characteristics can be found in the technical data sheet. Many devices allow you to expand the volume up to 64 GB; the option of using 128 GB is rarely possible.
• Battery power. Flash cards with a large amount of memory consume significantly more power, so your smartphone will drain faster. To balance the consumption, you need to settle on the optimal size of the flash drive. You should not purchase 64 GB if you will use a maximum of 8 GB.

The purchase of any product must be approached responsibly. Selecting the appropriate memory card will not only save your budget, but will also open up new possibilities for your favorite smartphone.

Ratings: 31 , average: 4.29

How to protect yourself from memory card damage and loss of information on it?

It is very unpleasant when important information stored on a flash drive becomes inaccessible. But this, although rare, happens to almost everyone. Triple “insurance” will help to avoid such a situation - simultaneous storage of information in three places:

• flash media;
• HDD;
• cloud storage.

Such precautions reduce the risk of data loss to almost zero.

A memory card for phones is a familiar device, without which it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person. If you select a flash drive wisely and guided by a clear understanding of the purpose of the purchase, it will last a long time and will not allow you to lose important information.

Best memory cards rating

How to format a flash drive for Android?

Immediately after connecting the device to the phone, it will automatically detect the file system used on the flash drive and, if necessary, will be prompted to format it.

Attention! If the flash drive has NTFS or exFAT format as a file system, then rewriting will be mandatory.

After confirming the requested action and completing the procedure, the drive will be ready to change or delete existing files.

System formatting

If simple formatting is required, then to delete all data from it you need to go to the settings menu - go to “storage” - click on “clear USB drive”. Please note that item names may vary from device to device.

You need to disconnect the flash device properly - it is not advisable to pull it out of the slot; it is recommended to first press the “eject USB drive” button, this way you will avoid data damage or damage to the device.

Third-party utilities (file managers)

If for some reason the user is unable to format (the flash drive may not be recognized by the device), then you can try to solve the problem using file managers, which can be downloaded through the Google Play application store. SD Card Cleaner, for example, is a very popular and proven application, but if for some reason it does not suit the user, then you can look for analogues in the store, based not only on the overall rating, but also on the latest reviews from users.

Formatting on a computer

Without any problems, you can format a flash drive using a PC. To do this, you will need to take out the device, insert it into the computer, and then select “format”. You will also need to specify the file system - by default it is set as FAT32.

So, in this article we looked at how a flash drive is formatted for Android devices, and the simplest option is to use pre-installed programs on your smartphone to change the contents of the drives. However, if for some reason this cannot be done, you can consider formatting via a PC or a specialized application as alternative options.

Is it possible to connect a flash drive to a phone without root?

You can connect to smartphones younger than 2016 according to the scheme above. Models older than 2013 will require third party apps. Each phone released between 2013-2016 must be checked separately. The simplest and most accessible applications:

• Nexus Media Importer.
• Nexus USB OTG FileManager.

These programs work without making changes to root, support FAT and NTFS (both paid).

• Gato Negro USB OTG File Manager is a free application, but with a lower rating. Allows you to add, rename and delete files. Some users noted that the flash drive is recognized, but when trying to copy it gives an error.

If you still need root rights, it is convenient to work in the Kingo Root and KRoot Checker programs. At the same time, the developer warns that he is not responsible for the consequences. There is a danger of damaging your smartphone and being left without warranty. Also, for all phone models you need to look for separate instructions.

When you get root rights to quickly recognize flash memory and display it in any file manager, try the free StickMount application (there is a paid Pro utility). You can download it from the Play Store.

After connecting, you need to check Launch StickMount automatically for the running device and allow Full access to all functions. After this, the sdcard/usbStorage folders will be located in the file manager.

The program supports file systems of different phones without being tied to the firmware. The list of available ones includes: fat and fat32, as well as ext2, ext3 and ext4.